Over the next few weeks I am going to be writing about my experience of setting up an Etsy Shop. If you haven’t heard of Etsy, its basically an online e-commerce site that specialises in handmade and vintage items. Here’s a link to my shop page if you want to see what an open shop looks like www.isabellajmillinery.etsy.com.

The search bar allows you to look for items in other shops, take a look around. As you will see each ‘shop’ looks slightly different as the seller is able to customise the appearance of their ‘shop’ using a series of templates.

Ok, there are some initial things I would suggest you do before you get get started on Etsy. Continue reading →

If you have been reading my blog for a while you may remember that I have dreamt of selling my makes for quite some time. Way back in 2013 I was writing posts about my business thoughts and it sort of went on a ‘back-burner’ until I fell in love with hats.

I’m delighted to say that I have two pieces of excellent business news to share.

I have just opened my first ever online Etsy based shop to sell hats, fascinators & headpieces. It’s called IsabellaJMillinery which was as close as I could get with Etsys 20 characters shop name limit. Please click on the link and have a look around. I’m still working on my online shop but feel like it’s at a point I can officially say ‘I’m open’!

I’m keen to help others get started on their own online shop and I have contacted Etsy to see if I can get permission to use some behind the scene screenshots so I can write some ‘step-by-step’ opening an Etsy shop guides. Fingers crossed they will get back to me soon.

My second piece of news is that a range of my Isabella Josie hats are proudly on display in the real world in a local beauty salon called Marina Beauty Box at Port Solent Marina near Portsmouth, England. Port Solent is a great place to look around so if you live in the local area please do pop in and have a look. For readers who live further afield here are a few pictures so you get the idea.

Can you see my hats? There they are, very proudly displayed at the front door. If you look inside the shop you will capture a glimpse of a few more on the right hand side – Voila!

All Milliners have their own techniques and ‘tricks of the trade’ and to help me in my learning, I’m keeping a record of these here – some many be useful, others not, if you have any suggestions or tips of your own please share them via the comment box.

Blocking Tips:

Some Milliners prefer not to soak Sinamay to soften it, some spray their fabric to make it damp for blocking and then paint the stiffening solution onto the fabric once blocked into shape.

If blocking felt hoods using steam, spray a fine mist of water inside the hood to dampen it before steaming.

Cover blocks in cling film, plain plastic bags or foil to protect them before use.

If blocking velour hoods or black fabric pop some scrap fabric over the covered form before blocking.

Increase the size of a crown block by blocking over an old felt hood (covered in plastic). A 1/16th inch thick hood roughly adds 1cm to the head size.

Don’t soak fur pile hoods in water based stiffeners – block by steaming.

Lay rope on top of Petersham ribbon (or cling film) for shaping grooves or defining shapes in blocks.

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